Ignition device.



P. M. LEAVITT.

IGNITION DEVICE.

APPLIOATION rum) MAY 29, 1913.

Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

INVENTOR [3y "ll/01714116.

ITNESSES: W

and to provide an i UNITED STATES Parana? onmon.

FRANK M. LEAVIT'I', OF SMITHTOWN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR -TO E. W. BLISSCOMPANY, OF BROOKLYN, "YORK, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

IGNITION -DEVI,GE.

Specification of'Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 3,1914.

Application fi1edMay'29, 1:913. Serial No. 770,740.

'To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK ML'LIEAYII'ILRcitizen of the United States, residing 1n Smithtown, in the county ofSuffolk and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Ignit1o n Devices, of which the following is aspeclfication.

This invention provides an igniter esecially designed for igniting thefuel 1n\a iieater (or so-called superheater) for automobile torpedoes.In such torpedoes lt IS customary to pass the compressed air on ts wayfrom the reducing valve to the turbine or other engine throu h aheater-pot, in which it is heated by t e flame from burning alcohol orother liquid or gaseous fuel, the products of combustion from which areadded to the supply of air, thereby greatly increasing the energy of thetorpedo.

In the ignition device or fuse heretofore was liable to damage. In orderto retain the powder while burning, the pencil was surrounded by a steeltube having openings for the powder gases and flame to escape to ignitethe surroundin gaseous or vapor zed fuel. The heat-in t e heater-pot,however,

is so great, that the steel holder is liable to fuse off after a fewruns, and the molten metal from such holder will clog the turbine.

The object of the present invention is to overcome the difficultiesabove referred to, ition device peculiarly adapted for use in ignitingthe charge used to heat and au ent the pressure of the propellin 'fluid1n submarine torpedoes,- and onew erein complete combustion of the fuse,particularly a slow-burning fuse, is had, and to effect the combustionof the fuse in such manner as to safeguard the surrounding portions ofthe apparatus, and to pre vent thepassage to the operative parts ofunconsumed portions of thefuse and fused portions of the apparatus.

In the drawing accompanying this specification one practicableembodiment of the invention is illustrated in central longitudinalsection applied to a form of heater pot, which is shown partly inelevation and partlyin longitudinal section.

The heater pot shown by way of illustration is designated by thereference character 1. To this heater pot is secured a suitable head 2which has a coupling 3 for connection with the air supply, and an outlet4 leading to the turbine nozzle. This outlet in the present illustrationis shown at the bottom of the heater.

A plug 5 is shown mounted in the head 2. This plu constitutes a chamberfor receiving the blank cartridge Send a holder for the fuse 7, suchfuse being shown in the form of 'apencil, which will be made of somecoinparatively slow-burnin material, such, for instance as cordite.TlllS pencil in the illustration is supported in a vertical position,

, being dependent from the holder 5 and hav- 10; The lower part of theplug or holder 5v is chambered at 11 for receiving the flash or flamefrom the cartridge when this is exploded. Suitable passages 12 for theflame extend from the chamber 11 into the chamber 9. The cartridge isexploded in the present illustration by means of a hammer 13, which isactuated in a well known manner by a portion of the compressed airfinding access to its upper end through the conduit-14. The outlet orvent from the chamber 9, bein provided at 10 adjacent the free end oftfie pencil 7, will tend to induce the ignition of the encil at its freeend, so that the combustion of the pencil will be substantiallycomplete. But, to assure the ignition at this point and to assureinstantaneous ignition, and to cause the pencil to ignite first at itslower end and to burn mainly backward to its point of sup port, somereadily combustible end quickburning material 15 will be provided in theend of the casing 8 at the free end of such pencil. For instance, a massof gun-cotton 15 will be placed at this position so that, upon thepassage of the flame into the chamber 9, it will immediately ignite andwill itself ignite the free end of the pencil.

The casing 8 is shown .open at its free end, such opening being closedby some closure which will be of a combustible nature and which may bereadily blown out by the discharge from the cartridge (3. This closurein the present instance is shown as a paper cap 16,- which holds themass of guncotton 15 in position. The cap is preferably made of a paperwhich is impervious to moisture so as to assure the dryness of thegun-cotton. To further safeguard the gun-cotton and the fuse 7, theopenings 10 are also covered with paper 18 impervious to moisture. Thepaper, upon the flash en tering the chamber .9, will either be con sumedor blown off.

To safeguard the machinery, for instance the turbine, fronr beingclogged by fused portions of the-apparatus finding access to it, thecasing 8 is made of some inflammable material, for instance, celluloid,so that upon the ignition of the mass 15 not only will the pencil 7 beignited, but the casing also will be ignited and will burn rapidly, butnot as rapidly as does the fuse pencil 7 This will also add to the heatproduced within the heating pot l and will also effect the desiredresult in that agnaterial which is completely combustible is employedfor this easing; Celluloid being impervious to moisture, will preventany moisture getting to the inflammable parts within it. 7

Although but one embodiment of the invention is shown, it will beunderstood that this is illustrativeof the improvement, and

that changes maybe madewithin the scope 1. An ignition device comprisinga slowburning fuse supported at one end,- and a casing of inflammablematerial so arranged that when the primer is detonated the flametherefrom will pass between the fuse and the casing and ignite theformer at its free end.

2. An ignition device comprising a cordite pencil supported at one end,and a celluloid casing surrounding such pencil.

3. In an ignition device, the combination with an elongated body ofslow-burning material, of a holder engaging one end of such body, aninflammable casing surrounding such body, a mass of inflammable materialin the casing at the free end of the said body, and means for passing aflame through the casing to such mass.

4. The combination with a slow-burning fuse, of a holder from which thefuse is pendant, and a casing inclosing the fuse having a flame openingat one end, and a vent hole at its other end.

5. The combination with a holder, of a pencil of inflammable materialsupported at one end by the holder, an inflammable casfuse andinflammable casing therefor dependent from such holder.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

FRANK M. LEAVITT. Witnesses H. C. SEAMAN, JOHN D. MoIN'rYRE.

extending partially through the same, and a

